


Somehow, Still Sacred

by Calesvol



Category: Venom (Comics), Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Committed Relationship, Grief/Mourning, Other, Romance, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-03 03:27:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16318256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calesvol/pseuds/Calesvol
Summary: They both decide to pay Maria a visit, and they have some good news to share.





	Somehow, Still Sacred

Warning(s): G, death mention

* * *

It was becoming something of a ritual for them. It wasn’t cheap, footing the funeral’s bill. As far as they’d known, Maria didn’t have any known family, no one they could really call or contact. But, it’d been okay. She had family in the most unexpected of places. With the enormous expose he’d fronted in rooting into every dark crevice of the Life Foundation in what was an ongoing investigation, things were turning around.

The bank had approved of the loan for the funeral expenses, and the installment plan wasn’t too overwhelming. Maria’s funeral saw people come in droves. Anne, Dan, Foundation workers who had been blackmailed into staying—probably half a borough if he were honest. Hell, even the mayor himself had announced he’d be building a memorial as a monument over Maria’s grave for all the lives lost.

It was touching. They’d gained a reminder, a noble symbol. But to Eddie, he’d just lost a friend. Someone he’d gladly pay twenty dollars for in free newspapers a lifetime over just to have her back.

It was a week after the funeral itself, but he still showed up wearing something decent. Jeans, t-shirt, spiffy leather jacket fresh from the thrift store. New boots to replace his worn and rundown sneakers. A bouquet in hand of all the flowers he was sure she liked.

Her grave, one commissioned away from where the memorial was set to be in stone, was a modest gravestone: Maria Davis, beloved friend. A quote from a book he’d given her that she’d taken to like a fish out of water, all beneath a small, shady oak tree just beginning to grow. He hoped it would grow enormous, one day.

“Hey, Maria, long time no see,” Eddie greeted with a crooked smile, a sad look in his eyes. Sad, but at peace, if you could call it that. “Y’like the view from ‘ere? Me an’ Ven thought you might. Always did seem like ya liked the water, an’ all.” Venom emerged as a humanoid form roughly Eddie’s height, taking the bouquet and holding it reverently.

 **“Checked your memories. The water always reminded you of freedom,”** the symbiote affirmed. Even if it was trying to understand human emotions, and their ways, it understood grief. Especially after losing Riot despite the harsh enmity they’d been embroiled in months before. **“…Brought you these.”**

Eddie knew it would take getting used to, because Ven still felt responsible for Maria’s death. Even though it had been completely unprecedented, he wanted Venom to feel that guilt, to let itself feel and process through those emotions. He certainly wasn’t alone. Eddie watched with a fond smile as Venom stooped to place the colorful bouquet before the grave marker, genuflecting with him.

“I have some news, y’know,” Eddie continued, slipping he and Venom’s hands together. “And yeah, it—it’s gonna sound like the craziest thing ever. I know, I sure thought it was, but— I’ve been thinkin’. If you love somethin’, let it go. Well, I loved Anne. And…I let her go. She’s with’a great guy now, Dan. He’s smart, an’ shit. Real good guy. Both’a them helped me an’ Ven out, too. Helluva lot.” He laughed a short, airy note. Trying to gather his thoughts again.

“Thing is, spending this life alone—it sucks major balls. An’ we don’t always live life th’ way we think we should. …I found someone, Maria. Someone I think I’d be pretty happy to spend my life with. These things kinda demand witnesses though, right? Make it official, an’ all. And you’re one of my closest friends, so… And, you’re the reason we met at all.”

Venom grew quiet when it realized what Eddie was saying, the symbiote craning to search into Eddie’s eyes when he finally looked away from the gravestone, conviction in that gaze. Something strong and sure, without faltering. **“Eddie, do you mean it? …You want to be with us, forever?”** it asked incredulously, hope so heavy in its voice it could be heart-wracking if this wasn’t meant to be a happy affair.

Thoughtfully, Eddie touched the bite mark on Venom’s neck. From their first time together, Venom hadn’t let it fade. And when Venom had done the same on his neck, he refused to let Venom heal it. It would scar, permanently. A heat blossomed on the symbiote’s skin where he touched, giddy with reciprocation.

“Might be the world’s biggest idiot, but I’m pretty sure I know what my heart wants, Ven. An’ it wants you.”

Without a moment’s further hesitance, Venom’s threw its arms around Eddie’s neck and they kissed passionately for a long, tender moment.

**“I love you, Eddie.”**

“Same here, love.”


End file.
